English
19th January 2020
Lessons from the Conversation between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Rai
During His South India tour as the Lord was travelling to different regions on banks of Godavari, there He had a meeting with Rai Ramananda at Kovvur in Andhra Pradesh. It's said that Rai Ramananda is the incarnation of Vishaka and Vishaka has descended and was Governor of Andhra Pradesh. Talks between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya
It’s a very famous conversation and is found in Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya Lila 8th chapter. The conversation between Mahaprabhu and Ramananda went on for about 1week .They met every day and there would be different discussions. This conversation has been presented in fthe orm of small questions and answers or perfect questions and perfect answers like we have Srila Prabhupada's book Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers. It’s a very important dialogue. Here the answers were given by Rai Ramananda. Questions were being asked by Lord Caitanya and Lord Caitanya was getting them answered through Rai Ramananda.
Rai Ramananda said “Oh Lord you are speaking or you are making me speak. I'm an instrument in Your hands like a vina and I will make the sound as you play.” So the speaker is Lord Caitanya Himself. We will make you hear this conversation as it’s very useful and it should be learned and followed. We should develop our character through this.
Lord Caitanya inquired to Ramananda Rai:
prabhu kahe, — “kon vidyā vidyā-madhye sāra?” rāya kahe, —
“kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā vidyā nāhi āra”
Translation:
On one occasion the Lord inquired, "Of all types of education, which is the most important?" Ramananda Rai replied, "No education is important other than the transcendental devotional service of Krsna.” [CC Madhya lila 8.245]
Ramananda Rai replied: Knowledge related to Krsna or devotion is knowledge and it is the essence of all. We should take lessons in bhakti yoga in this life. And that education or knowledge is supreme and the essence of everything.
Knowledge that we learn and teach is not knowledge of bhakti, but it is knowledge of bhukti. That is money making knowledge, not man making. When you earn money then it is just utilized for sense gratification, dharma, artha, kama. When the pocket is full one goes for sense gratification. We should learn bhakti not bhukti?
Lord Caitanya inquired from Ramananda Rai:
‘kīrti-gaṇa-madhye jīvera kon baḍa kīrti?’
‘kṛṣṇa-bhakta baliyā yāṅhāra haya khyāti’
Translation: “
Out of all glorious activities, which is the most glorious?” Ramananda Rai replied: “That person who is reputed to be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoys the utmost fame and glory.” [CC Madhya lila 8.246]
Identifying oneself as servant of Krishna is true glory or kirti. So this is real glory, I am servant of Krsna, I am Krsnas and I do this for Krsna, all this things are glories. jiva krsna das ei visvas.
The glory in this world can be of two types - being famous for good deeds or being famous for bad deeds. Ravan was also very famous, but he was well-known for his bad deeds. Most of the idiots of this world are famous in this manner. We should identity ourselves as servants of the Lord, I am Krsna Dasa. This type of introduction one should give and that's the real glory. If you become the Lord’s devotee, the Lord will increase and expand your fame all over.
Lord Caitanya inquired to Ramananda Rai:
‘sampattira madhye jīvera kon sampatti gaṇi?’
‘rādhā-kṛṣṇe prema yāṅra, sei baḍa dhanī’
Translation:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Of the many capitalists who posses great riches, who is the topmost?`
Ramananda Rai replied, “ He who is richest in love for Radha and Krishna is the greatest capitalist.” [CC Madhya lila 8.247]
Which is greatest wealth amongst all wealth which can be called real wealth? Ramananda Rai replied: If you have been bestowed by Radha Krsna prema then you have real wealth. If you don't have that then you are bankrupt. There is not even one penny in your account. You have just collect material wealth. The person who has Krsna prema that person is really wealthy. We chant Hare Krishna in the morning. We start to earn real wealth early in the morning while others start very late by 10 or 11 am. But Krsna's devotees are very smart. They start increasing their fixed deposits early in the morning. Krsna prema is real wealth of the soul which pleases the soul. You are truly wealthy as you're chanting Hare Krishna and earning real wealth.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked :
‘duḥkha-madhye kona duḥkha haya gurutara?’
‘kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha vinā duḥkha nāhi dekhi para’[CC Madhya lila 8.248]
Translation:
“Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?”
Ramananda Rai replied: Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness."
If we are bereft of association of devotees then what else couldn't have been greater cause of despondency? Association of devotees is very important, it gives pleasure. And if we are not getting association of devotees that should be the cause of our unhappiness. We keep meeting many people who cheat us, mislead us. But mahajano yena gatah sa panthah, if we are not getting association of devotees who show us the right path that’s the cause of our sadness. We should always try to get association of devotees.
asat-saṅga-tyāga-ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [CC Madhya 22.87]
There are two types of association, satsanga and asatsanga. Asatsanga gives pain and satsanga gives pleasure. So it’s said here if we are not getting association of devotees that the cause of our lamentation. Oh why are you sad these days? Oh I am not getting association of devotees.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked:
mukta-madhye kon jīva mukta kari’ māni?’
‘kṛṣṇa-prema yāṅra, sei mukta-śiromaṇi’ [CC Madhya lila 8.249]
Translation: “Out of all liberated persons, who should be accepted as the greatest?” Ramananda Rai replied: One who has got Krishna prema is greatest amongst liberated personalities. Krsna prema, we call in Gaudiya vaishnav language as pancham purusartha. There are four purusartha-dharma, artha, kama, moksha. The Advaitavadis consider getting merged into Brahman as mukti.
kaivalya narkayate
Liberation of Mayavadis is worse than getting intoo hell. Attainment of Krishna prema is better than mukti. Superior than liberation is devotion for Lord Krsna. As you get Krishna prema then there is nothing left to be achieved. You get Krsna, His abode, His service and you get situated in your own eternal form or svarupa. hitva anyatha rupam sva-rupena avasthiti. This is liberation according to Bhagavatam. It’s not that the Lord does not have form. This ignorance is mayavad. One who escapes from this and achieves Krsna prema is the supreme amongst the devotees
Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked
‘gāna-madhye kona gāna — jīvera nija dharma?’
‘rādhā-kṛṣṇera prema-keli’ — yei gītera marma’
Translation:
“Among many songs, which song is to be considered the actual religion of the living entity?” Ramananda Rai replied: Singing glories of love of Radha Krishna are greatest. [CC Madhya lila 8.250]
rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmāt
Keli means pastime like jala keli, prema keli, rati keli. So conjugal pastimes of Radha Krsna are the highest level of love.
gaurangera madhura-lila, jar karne pravesila, hridoya nirmala bhelo tar
You may say gaurangera madhura lila or Krsnera madhura lila, singing these pastimes is the greatest. Songs of Radha Krsna pastimes are the greatest. Everyone likes to sing, so one should sing this. For that we need to first hear these pastimes and then we need to engage our tongue to sing them or chant,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna maha-mantra includes all the pastimes and songs. We need to hear this maha-mantra. Lord Caitanya also used to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. He also chanted Hare Krishna. He would go to Gadadhar Pandit at Tota Gopinath and hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from him. And in Gambhira the whole night He would spend time with Rai Ramananda. In Kovvur He told Rai Ramanand to join Him to give up his job of being Governor. Rai Ramananda asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu to stay for few more days. “We will have more katha and discussion. What big difference will a few days, I want to have discussions with you throughout your whole life. You renounce all this dirty business and come to Jagannatha Puri. Thus Caitanya Mahaprabhu inspired him and Ramananda Rai renounced everything and came to Jagannatha Puri. By the time Caitanya Mahaprabhu came back from South India tour Ramananda Rai reached Jagannatha Puri after retiring from his job. He spent his remaining life singing the glories of Radha Krsna with Lord Caitanya. He sang from Srimad- Bhagavatam, Gita Govinda, Krsna karnamrita, Candi Dasa. In this way Lord Caitanya has set a standard in front of the whole world - if you want to sing, sing the glories of Radha Krsna and chant
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
We will do the remaining questions tomorrow.
Gaur Premanande Hari Hari bol